Conveyer pan



July 5, 19270 E. E. SLICK CONVEYER PAN Filed y 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 44(Aux MM E. E. SLICK CONVEYER PAN July 5, 1927.

F1119d y 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w xii l Patented July 5, 1927.

EDWIN E. SLICK, or PITTSBURGH, rENNsYLvANm.

a i CONVEYER PAN.

. Application filed July 24, 1926. Serial No. 124,644.

The present invention relates broadly to lehr conveyers and moreparticularly to improved pans adapted to be assembled to 'provide a lehrstructure suitable for use with glassware and the like. It will beunderstood, however, that the utility of the invention is not limitedwith respect to the particular use to which the structure is put. It iscustomary in the art to which the present invention relates to providelehr conveyers comprising side chains between which extend pans forcarrying the articles to be annealed. When the conveyers get beyond a'certain width, considerable difficulty is encountered not only ingetting a uniform"' driving action on the different chains due toexpansion and contraction thereof, but in preventing the pans fromsagging, twisting When such a sagging or other they lose) there-maybe-constructed a conveyer pan for or warping. deformatlon of the pansoccurs, 7 their utlllty as supporting means due to the tendency ofarticles carried thereby'to topple over and become broken.

The present invention has for one of its" ObJECtS the provision of aconv'eyer orlehr pan of improved construction adapted tov providesuliicient strength to prevent objectionable deformation thereof, andsuitable when .used in extremely wide lehrsfor the addition thereto ofintermediate supporting means.

Other advantages of the present invention arise from the prov1s1on of alehr pan of extreme simplicity and capable of being eas-i ilyconstructed from relatively light gauge material; The weight of thefinished pan may accordingly be kept within extremely reasonable limits.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown, for purposes ofillustration only, certain preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, it being understood that the drawings do not define thelimits of my invention, as changes in the construction and operationdisclosed therein may be made without departing either from the spiritof the present invention or the, scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken ures 1 and 2;

ment of the invention;

pan of Figure 7.

away, of one form of pan constructed in accordance with the presentinvention Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the pan structure ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a; transverse sectional view on 56 an enlarged scale throughthe pan of Fig- ;Figure 4 isa partial sectional view similar to Figure3, illustrating another embodi- 60 Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure3 showing still another form of the invention;

structure "of Figure 5; 1'

Figure is atop plan view of a portion of a conveyor constructed as shownin Fig-,

ures5 and 6,ia nd i Figure'8 is an end elevational view of the Figure (3is a side elevational view of the "In carrying out the presentinvention,

lehrs comprising a supporting member 2 having edges 3 downturnedthroughout substantially the full length of the supporting two membersmay'then be secured together in any desired manner, as by rivets 6 asshown m. Figure 3, orby turning the edges 3 inwardly as shown at 3i'n'Figure 4 to firmly interlock the respective parts.

'The reinforcing member adjacent each end thereof has upwardly inclinedportions 7 free from side flanges, and merging in hori- Zont-allyextending substantially flat end portions 8. The end portions 8 directlyunderlie the end portions of the supporting member and may be securedthereto by the fastening means by which the pan is secured to theconveying chains. Such means will ordinarily comprise rivets, bolts ,orthe like passing through the openings 9.

The main body ofboth the supporting member and the reinforcing member isprovided with openings 10 adapted to permit free circulation of theheating medium in the lehr chamber and uniform heating of the parts ofeach pan structure.

In some cases, as for example where the pans-are to be of exceptionallength as nocessitated by wide lehrs, the pans may each have securedthereto one or more intermediate supporting means .such as rollers 11 orthe like, shown for example in Figures 5 to 8, both inclusive. Suchrollers may convene iently be attached by inverted U-shaped brackets 12secured to the supporting member 2 and extending downwardly through thereinforcing members 4,. Each bracket may carry a pin 13 extendingthrough the arms of the brackets and forming axles for the rollers.

In all cases the supporting members are strengthened by the downturned,or downwardly and inwardly turned, edges 3 or 3 respectively, wherebythe main body of the supporting member which constitutes the warereceiving portion thereof is kept sub stantially flat. The reinforcingmembers not only give additional strength effective against warping, butalso act as guides to prevent sagging of the pans. The comparativelydeep sides of the reinforcing members constitute beams which are highlyeffective relative to the weight of the pans.

Certain advantages of the present invention arise from the provision ofpans adapted to withstand comparatively high tempera-. tures, andcapable of being easily constructed and assembled,

Other advantages of the invention arise from the provision of panshaving their supporting surfaces strengthened against both sagging andagainst twisting or warpin Still other advantages of the invention arisefrom the provision of pans comprising upper supporting members and lowerreinforcing members, both of said members preferably having sideportions, so shaped as to constitute strengthening means.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a pan for lehr conveyors, comprising asupporting member having strengthening means effec tive throughout themajor portion of the length thereof, and having reinforcing meanssecured thereto and spaced therefrom throughout a substantial portion ofthe length of the pan.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pan for lehr conveyors, comprising asupporting member having strengthening means effective throughout themajor portion of the length thereof, and having reinforcing meanssecured thereto and spaced therefrom throughout a substantial portion ofthe length of the pan, said reinforcing means comprising a reinforcingmember substantially U-shaped in cross section throughout at least aportion of the length thereof.

3. As an article of manufacture, a lehr pan comprising substantiallyflat end portions adapted for cooperation with conveying chains, anupper intermediate portion having down-turned edges, and a'lowerintermediate portion having upwardly projecting edges secured to theupper portion.

4. As an article of manufacture, a lehr pan comprising substantiallyfiat end portions adapted for cooperation with conveying chains, anupper intermediate portion having downturned edges, and alower'intermediate portion having upwardly projecting edges secured tothe upper portion, said lower intermediate portion being substantiallyU-shaped in cross section.

5. As an article of manufacture, a lehr pan comprising substantiallyflat end portions adapted for cooperation with conveying chains, anupper intermediate portion having down-turned edges, and lowerintermediate portion having upwardly projecting edges secured to theupper portion, said lower intermediate portion being substantially.U-shaped in cross section with laterally projecting edges.

6. As an article of manufacture, a lehr pan comprising substantiallyflat end por tions adapted for cooperation with conveying chains, anupper intermediate portion having downturned edges, and a .lowerintermediate portion having upwardly projecting edges secured to theupper portion, said upper and lower portions having the main bodyportions thereof spaced throughout the major portion of the length ofthe pan.

7. As an article of manufacture, a lehr pan comprising substantiallyflat end portions adapted for cooperation with convey ing chains, anupper intermediate portion having downturned edges, and a lowerintermediate portion having upwardly projecting edges secured to theupper portion, said upper and lower portions having the main bodyportions thereof spaced throughout a substantial portion of the lengthof, the pan.

8. As an article of manufacture, a pan for lehr conveyers, comprising asupporting member having strengthening means effective throughout themajor portion of the length thereof, and having reinforcing meanssecured thereto and spaced therefrom throughout a substantial portion ofthe length of the pan, said pan being provided with a supporting rollerat an intermediate portion thereof.

9. As an article of manufacture, a pan for lehr conveyors, comprising asupporting member and a reenforcing member below and spaced from thesupporting member, said supporting member having end portions shaped forcooperation with conveying chains. I

10. As an article of manufacture, a pan for lehr conveyers formed of ahollow body forlehr conveyers formed of a hollow body having its upperface serving as a. support- 10 having its upper face serving as asupporting member and its lower part as a reinforcingmember and itslower part as a reinforcing member, and ventilating holes opening 5 ingmember, said. supporting member having from the interior of the hollowbody.

end portions shaped for cooperation with In testimony whereof I havehereunto set conveying chains. my hand.

11. As an article of manufacture, a pan EDWIN E. SLICK.

